Padden’s boating-safety measure sails through Senate The Senate today gave its unanimous support this evening to Sen. Mike Padden’s bill to align Washington boating law with the state’s motor-vehicle law when it comes to driving under the influence. “Alcohol consumption is the leading contributor to boating accidents in Washington,” said Padden, R-Spokane Valley. “There is no... Read More...

Senate adopts Padden’s comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation Brianna was 17, residing in a small Washington town near Interstate 5 and working at the local café when she met the man who acted like a friend but turned out to be a pimp. It’s men like that, participants in a commercial sex industry that views girls as nothing... Read More...

Law and justice panel passes 42 bills before committee deadline From tightly-written legislation related to marijuana use and school searches to bills that took on broader issues such as eminent domain and human trafficking, the 42 measures endorsed by the Senate Law and Justice Committee so far in the 2013 legislative session cover a wide swath of concerns. “I’ve been... Read More...

Comprehensive anti-trafficking bill to have public hearing Wednesday Bipartisan measure focused on protecting children, combating commercial sex trade OLYMPIA… The state Senate’s latest salvo in the ongoing fight against human trafficking will be heard Wednesday when Senate Bill 5669 goes before the Senate Law and Justice Committee. The committee meeting begins at 1:30 p.m. in Senate Hearing Room... Read More...

Padden schedules Feb. 6 hearing for parental-notification bill OLYMPIA… The Senate Law and Justice Committee will have a public hearing next week on legislation that would require an underage girl’s parent or guardian to be notified before she can have an abortion. Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, said Senate Bill 5156  will come before the committee he leads... Read More...

Padden says committee will have hearing on abortion-notification bill OLYMPIA… Sen. Mike Padden says the Senate Law and Justice Committee will have a public hearing on a bill that would require a girl’s parent or guardian to be notified before she can have an abortion. Padden, R-Spokane Valley, is among the 18 sponsors of Senate Bill 5156, which was... Read More...

Law and Justice committee to discuss problem of binge drinking Friday meeting to include hearing on Padden’s college DUI-court legislation OLYMPIA…Sen. Mike Padden knows the Legislature can’t prevent binge drinking. Still, the chairman of the Senate Law and Justice Committee has called a Friday-morning work session to bring the topic into the policy-making arena and consider a new approach to... Read More...